This invention relates to an improved sectional-type storm panel which is rigidified and reinforced to resist penetration by forcefully applied objects, such as wind borne debris during a storm.
In high wind storm areas, such as hurricane susceptible areas, it is common to apply storm panels across window, door and the like openings in buildings when storm warnings are received to protect against damage from the wind and from wind blown debris. One conventional form of storm panel comprises a number of elongated sections, usually vertically arranged, that are aligned edge-to-edge along a generally common plane. Typically, the adjacent edges of each section are overlapped. The overlapped areas may remain loosely in contact or may be fastened together with screws or nuts and bolts and the like. The sections are manually assembled together when storm warnings are received and the panel, typically, is assembled within a downwardly opening header channel located along the upper portion of the opening to be covered and upwardly opening channel forming a sill at the lower edge of the opening to be covered.
During non-use, the sections are disassembled and stored. When the sections are fastened together along the edges, considerable time is needed to apply the fasteners and, conversely, to remove the fasteners and disassemble the panel after a storm passes. Consequently, it is common to dispense with mechanical fasteners and to merely overlap the adjacent edges of aligned sections when the panel is required to protect a building against a rapidly approaching storm.
Conventional storm panels may be made of corrugated metal as, for example, extruded corrugated aluminum which is a relatively thin material. That type of material has a limited ability to withstand and prevent penetration of debris being hurled about during high winds. Consequently, recently enacted governmental regulations in areas subjected to frequent high velocity wind storms, such as hurricanes, require that storm panels be reinforced sufficiently to resist and prevent penetration by rapidly moving objects, such as large pieces of wood and the like. Conventional storm panels as described above, in general, cannot meet that requirement.
The present invention is concerned with modifying and improving conventional sectional type storm panels to greatly increase their resistance to penetration by wind borne debris.